Mkulu Kei Horse Trails

The best holiday destination since the 1800, taking two/three days of ox-wagon trek (with live chickens and fattened sheep) to get there. Horse riding on the beach and moonlight beach riding for twenty-five cents a day. A popular equine area throughout history with the first gymkhana club in South Africa at an annual subscription fee of one shilling, alcoholic horses and skilled riders. Internationally famous hippo, shipwrecks, a diamond rush and sunken treasure, white labour gangs and stories of heroes and villains.

This is the area that Mkulu Kei Horse Trails calls home.

Mkulu Kei safari horse trail in South Africa offers a riding holiday experience along the Eastern Cape, Wild Coast, of South Africa. We are situated north of East London, just past Cintsa. For your horse beach riding adventure, equestrian working volunteer gap vacation or kid's pony camps.

A combination of riding horses on a wild, unspoiled pristine coastline, history, rural life, birds, game, rolling hills, jagged cliffs, culture and heritage. A mix of equestrian experiences, scenery and terrain.

The Wild Coast a scenic underdeveloped pristine coastline experienced on safari horseback, a must do experience.

"A real ride to many places at any paces"

You could be here on your coastal safari horse riding vacation, Mkulu Kei Horse Trails The best of equestrian holidays.

This horse trek in South Africa offers a so much more than just an out-ride on holiday. Experience beach, and safari riding, South African rural life while giving you the chance to sample the undeveloped beauty of the South African Wild Coast, Transkei.

Day rides for your shorter rides, overnight trails for your longer trips, pony camps for children, your working holiday volunteer gap destination, first time riders or advanced. Read on we have the product for you.

Awesome hacking conditions, the best equine riding countryside, hours of time in the saddle.

See You in the saddle Soon!

Extracts taken from a book - The Absolute Border.

Alan Jefferies

The infamous Kei Mouth Road "hell-road".

During the Great Depression white labour gangs constructed the single lane bridges and culverts near Kei Mouth. Fifty odd years ago talk began to circulate that "the Kei mouth is going to be tarred". Some wanted the Komgha (Komga) road whilst others the Mooi plaats (Mooiplaas) road. The ensuing dispute led to huge arguments and a heated split within the community, and the bewildered authorities decided to move the funds elsewhere.

No single factor delayed the normal development of this area more than the "hell-road". "I'll never travel the Kei Mouth road again, the damage and wear and tear caused to my vehicle was not worth it." That common statement is a physical barrier, imprisoning Kei Mouth and isolating it from outside contact. Causing lack of facilities, high prices in local shops and deterioration in general tone. But also a natural beauty, un-spoilt and would otherwise be a commercialised area. Mercedes Benz recognized its use by conducting regular punishing test drives along the road for a variety of new luxury cars and then publicly praising the different models for their handling of the infamous Kei Mouth Road further adding publicity about our road.

After many arguments as to who won the tender and who should tar the Kei Mouth Road and a following court case the road has now been completed in December of 2006. In December 2009 a experimental tar road has now been completed to Morgan Bay. Please travel slowly, in our opinion it is not a good surface.

The old Titanium mine.

While on holiday in Kei Mouth over December holidays 1951 Trev Miller discovered alternative layers of dark and light sand deposits the sample was sent to a laboratory in Johannesburg the results indicated the presence of Titanium Oxide. The preliminary claim pegging culminated in a prospecting license. Dated 24th April 1953. The dunes between Morgan Bay and Kei Mouth became the main focus. It was the Kei Mouth Village Management Board that stopped the operating of the Cape Morgan Titanium mine. Today Conrade the previous owner of Wavecrest hotel continues to fight of the mining along the Wild Coast where large deposits are found. It would be very sad to see our beautiful coast strip-mined.

Historically a fashionable equestrian destination

A popular equine area through out history. Until the regular use of motor vehicles in 1920 horses were used as the only fast transportation and provided pleasure during recreational times - everyone owned a horse. A policeman, Piet Rheeder from Rocky Ridge, a farm just outside Kei Mouth, taught his horse to acquire the taste of the local beer brew made from fermented maize. His horse became so addicted to the concoction that he sniffed out hidden caches. Only with permission were occasions celebrated with legal beer. Perpetrators were baffled by the ability of a mere horse to sniff out their well hidden and often buried catches. Rheeder's horse was always rewarded with a long drink, allowing a sufficient quantity left to provide evidence in court. A rigid set of rules governed stabling and care of horses. They were always kept in shining, top condition. Patrols lasted as long as a week away from base with pack horses following policemen on their mounts. Every farmer was required to sign a register providing written proof of the area covered, which was then presented to their superiors at the end of lengthy patrols.

Mounted games. The first gymkhana games in South Africa.

There are records of the Cape Mounted Rifles, stationed at Komgha in 1889, practicing their riding skills on New Year's Day on the beach at Kei Mouth. As sword and lance were still part of their weaponry, their skills were measured by their ability to stab and lift pegs embedded in the sand. Local farmers drawn to the sea for their holidays, soon joined in. The Border was the first to formalize gymkhana events on a regional basis in South Africa and it was decided on 6th October 1934 to move the grounds from Fort Warwick, at Impetu, or the "place of maggots" to Kei Mouth. Those present agreed to pay an annual subscription fee of one shilling. The outbreak of the Second world War saw a postponement of the Kei Mouth gymkhana between 1941 and 1946, because many participants left to fight overseas. It was revived on New Year's Day 1947 a well supported event and continued very successfully until numbers attending began to dwindle with the development of motorized transport and fewer people acquiring riding skills and sadly ended in 1984.

Our own horse whisper.

A skilled rider and legend in Kei Mouth, Mr. Bobby Salkinder would demonstrate his riding skills. Vaulting over his horses back at the gallop, stand upright on his horse's saddle with 6 borrowed horse clasped in his hands, charging down the length of the course. Perfectly balanced and in control which left the audience awestruck. In 1955 in an Afrikaans paper he was asked to name the secret of his success. "That's easy" "A horse is like a person. Speak nicely to them treat and feed them well, and they will do anything for you". Bobby summed up his relationship with horses in simple terms.

His passion for them throughout his life convinced him that he could communicate with them and they understood a common language.

The first riding school.

In 1931 a retired Magistrate, owned five or six horses and hired them out to holidaymakers at twenty-five cents a day.

"Dutchie" Oswald Holland and partner Dick Whittal opened a riding school from 1954-1970, and novice riders were coached in the finer points of horsemanship. Beach rides were very popular during the day, as were moonlight rides when conditions were suitable.

A vacation.

There was nobody living permanently in Kei Mouth but on the approximately 1st of December every year, farmers accompanied by servants, livestock and sufficient groceries, including crates of chickens, fattened sheep started their two/three day ox-wagon trek to Kei Mouth for their two month beach holiday. On route they would make a temporary camp, untether the oxen, cattle, sheep, horses, milk cows and their calves on a "out span" farm, now known as Mkulu Kei Nature Reserve, our family farm.

Diamond fever.

In 1925 John Bock a 73 year old man picked up an unusual shiny pebble. A Diamond! He searched and uncovered more than 583 carats He registered his diamonds, with the exception of 6 large ones. Diamond fever soon gripped the countryside and prospectors poured in. Not one single diamond was located during the feverish searching by any other prospector throughout the area. Only John's site was producing regular, spectacular results. Discontented rumblings amongst the prospectors hinted at "something fishy" The Authorities caught wind of this and placed a ban on further prospecting and mining operations geologists from De Beers were convinced the diamonds did not originate from South Africa. It was decided the whole fiasco was obviously a criminal act and in 1928 John was charged with "salting" the area and using uncut diamonds, for his own illegal gain. A guilty verdict was given and sentence of three years hard labour, he died soon after his release, a bitter and broken old man. John's evidence clearly stated that he found the diamonds on his property and had not placed them there. The local farming community was stunned and angered by John's arrest.

New evidence shows little doubt that the diamonds originated from India and were purchased by the captain, on 4th August 1782, of the ill-fated Grosverendor ship, which, on voyage from India to England, foundered after hitting a reef north of Port St Johns. Captain Coxon, William Hosea, George McDonald together with 138 other survivors, decided to walk westwards along the coast, in hope of reaching Cape Town and then return to England. The wild, inhospitable coastline took its toll, the survivors died on route from exhaustion, exposure, sickness and starvation, harassed by tribesman and terrorized at night by strange noises. George McDonald was met by a formidable barrier, the Kei River, his final resting - place, one hundred an forty three years before John's discovery.

Huberta.

The famous wandering hippopotamus that traveled from the St Lucia in Natal enjoyed Kei mouth so much she settled down in 1930. She eventually resumed her journey westward after creating havoc and moved on to Morgan Bay. She was shot dead in 1931 and created headlines all around the world.

Nonqawuse's pool.

A highly sensitive subject amongst the Xhosa people. "The place of shame". The pool is where a young orphan Xhosa girl Nonqawuse saw, in 1856, strange faces looking up at her, and heard voices from her ancestors that told her that they would help the Xhosa drive the Red coats (British) "Mlungu" (Scum of the sea) away. "The Dead would arise". "Slaughter all your cattle- and feast upon them. Make beer and consume all existing grain. Stop tilling, planting and cultivating your lands" " As a result of these actions- on a given day- Xhosa ancestors- all in good health - would arise from the ground - together with great herds of healthy fat cattle - grain pits would be filled to capacity - and all whites would be driven back into the sea from whence they had originally come" As a sign of faith, the people destroyed their cattle and crops in the Great Xhosa Cattle Killing which changed the course of the Xhosa history. The Unbelievers where thrown off the waterfall and their cattle slaughtered for them. Hundreds of Xhosa's starved while they waited with great expectancy for the prophesied great day to dawn 3rd January 1857. No accurate statistics exist, but starvation, malnutrition and disease accounted for between 40,000 and 50,000 deaths and 150,000 displaced. There is thought that the vision was prompted by her uncle/small father Mhlakaza and contribution by the Europeans to kill the cattle which at the time where effected by a contagious disease called Rinderpest, which was a huge problem at the time in Africa.

"Umona"

A Xhosa word (a deep intense jealousy) carries host of negative connotations for the local people afflicted with "it" Through education, dedication and hard work individuals try to lift themselves above the norm within their community however "Umono" drags them back (crab in a bucket syndrome) Individualism and success are not admired and it is preferred that everyone experiences the same hardship "it is our destiny". The result is poverty and hopelessness.

The sound of the horse's hoofs on the sand or splash of the water will live with you forever.

Whether you dream of riding along open savannah grasslands, pristine coastal forests or unspoiled Wild Coast beaches, there's a Mkulu Kei Horse Trail that suits your available time, riding level and budget ...

There are so many equestrian holidays and vacations, why choose us? Read on and find out.

A Horse Ride Through Sub-Tropical Coastal Hills and Riverines to the Beaches of the Wild Coast in South Africa, a horse trekking holiday, with so much more.

Come Ride with Us ...

                               ...and you will see rolling hills, rich Savannah grasslands and thick-forested valleys with multitudes of rivulets cascading down to rivers that eventually spill out onto quiet sandy beaches, fantastic high rise cliffs and spectacular rock formations that make the Wild Coast in S Africa one of the most beautiful places in the world. An incredible combination of cross-country horse riding and the exploration of our beautiful coastline.

And what better to experience South Africa's beautiful coastline than on the back of a horse...

Ever thought you would like to canter your horse along a beach, or play in the waves?

You could be here on your coastal equine riding vacation or volunteer working gap vacation. Mkulu Kei Horse Trails The best of equestrian holidays.

The sound of the horse's hoofs on the sand or splash of the water will live with you forever.

A memorable horseback eco-adventure along the, Eastern Cape, Wild Coast, Transkei, SA. For your African horse trekking eco adventure or equestrian working gap vacation destination.

Awesome hacking conditions, the best riding countryside. Hours of stunning in the saddle time with few fences and incredible views, making your horseback vacation a memorable one.